A Novel Conflict-Free Memory and Processor Architecture for DVB-T2 LDPC Decoding

In this paper, we present a flexible architecture for an LDPC decoder that fully exploits the structure of the codes defined in the DVB-T2 standard (Digital Video Broadcasting - Second Generation Terrestrial). We propose a processor and memory architecture which uses the flooding schedule and has no memory access conflicts, which are encountered in serial schedule decoders proposed in the literature. Thus, unlike previous works, we do not require any extra logic or ad hoc designs to resolve memory conflicts. Despite the typically slower convergence of flooding schedule compared to serial schedule decoders, our ar- chitecture meets the throughput and BER requirements specified in the DVB-T2 standard. Our design allows a trade-off between memory size and performance by the selection of the number of bits per message without affecting the general memory arrangement. Besides, our architecture is not algorithm specific: any check-node message processing algorithm can be used (Sum-Product, Min-Sum, etc.) without modifying the basic architecture. Furthermore, by simply adding relevant small ROM tables, we get a decoder that is fully compatible with all three second generation DVB standards (DVB-T2, DVB-S2 and DVB-C2). We present simulation results to demonstrate the viability of our solution both functionally and in terms of the bit-error rate performance. We also discuss the memory requirements and the throughput of the architecture, and present preliminary synthesis results in CMOS 130nm technology

Implementation of a Wireless Mesh Network of Ultra Light MAVs with Dynamic Routing

This paper describes the implementation and characterisation of a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) of ultra-light intelligent flying robots. The flying nature of the network makes it suitable to collect or disseminate content in urban areas or challenging terrain, where line-of-sight connection between the Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) allows for more efficient communication. Dynamic routing in the network enables the nodes to intelligently establish multi-hop routes to extend the communication range or to overcome obstacles. The presented MANET relies on the IEEE 802.11n WiFi standard for data communications and uses the OLSR routing protocol. Routing decisions based on dynamic link quality measurements allow the network to cope with the fast variability of the wireless channel and the high mobility of the MAVs. The implementation of such a system calls for the integration of advanced communication and control technologies in a very restrictive platform, be it in terms of weight, power consumption or availability of suitable off-the-shelf hardware. A detailed description of the system design is presented, and its performance is characterised based on in-flight network measurements. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of OLSR successfully tested in a MANET with such fast dynamics. We verify the trade-off between achievable throughput and the number of hops, and we report on the sensitivity of communication performance and routing behaviour to MAV orientation and flight path. Mitigation of such dependencies and improvements to the routing algorithm are discussed along with future research directions

Testbed for Fast-Deployable Flying WiFi Networks

EPFL's Information Processing Group (IPG) and Laboratory for Intelligent Systems (LIS), in conjunction with SenseFly (a LIS spin-off) recently started a project aimed at developing a testbed to experiment with self-organized wireless networks carried by autonomous unmanned aircrafts. The idea is to use drones developed by SenseFly to carry the infrastructure of a self-organized WiFi network for easy and rapid deployment. The network can be used to connect people on the ground (e.g. rescue people in case of catastrophe) and/or to send back to a data center the information collected by sensors. The sensors might also be carried by some of the drones. The drones have a high degree of autonomy. In particular, they are capable of carrying out a missions and land without human intervention. In this work we present the state of this ongoing project that involves many challenges, including resource management, mobility management, self-organization, and scalability

Propuesta de intervención para la prevención y control de la desnutrición en menores de cinco años del departamento de la Guajira

PROPUESTA DE INTERVENCIÓN PARA LA PREVENCIÓN Y CONTROL DE LA DESNUTRICIÓN EN MENORES DE CINCO AÑOS DEL DEPARTAMENTO DE LA GUAJIRA La mortalidad en niños menores de 5 años asociados a la desnutrición son motivo de preocupación en todo el país. Se enfatiza en el mal manejo de los recursos por parte de los administradores del departamento, pero en realidad la problemática va más alla del manejo de recursos. Si revisamos más a fondo, encontramos una realidad social y económica difícil; la Guajira es un departamento que posee condiciones geográficas que no permiten la producción agrícola, su población rural está dispersa por el departamento y sus condiciones sanitarias y el acceso al agua potable están retrasadas con respecto a otros departamentos. A pesar de estos problemas, la definición de políticas de salud pública preventiva efectivas contribuiría a mitigar dichas situaciones y así encontrar soluciones integralesINTERVENTION PROPOSAL FOR THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF MALNUTRITION IN MINORS UNDER FIVE YEARS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LA GUAJIRA Mortality in children under 5 years of age associated with malnutrition is a cause for concern throughout the country. Emphasis is placed on mismanagement of resources by department administrators, but in reality the problem goes beyond resource management. If we look further, we find a difficult social and economic reality; La Guajira is a department that has geographical conditions that do not allow agricultural production, its rural population is dispersed throughout the department and its sanitary conditions and access to drinking water are lagged compared to other departments. Despite these problems, the definition of effective preventive public health policies would help to mitigate these situations and thus find comprehensive solution

Standalone vertex finding in the ATLAS muon spectrometer

A dedicated reconstruction algorithm to find decay vertices in the ATLAS muon spectrometer is presented. The algorithm searches the region just upstream of or inside the muon spectrometer volume for multi-particle vertices that originate from the decay of particles with long decay paths. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated using both a sample of simulated Higgs boson events, in which the Higgs boson decays to long-lived neutral particles that in turn decay to bbar b final states, and pp collision data at √s = 7 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC during 2011

Measurements of Higgs boson production and couplings in diboson final states with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

Measurements are presented of production properties and couplings of the recently discovered Higgs boson using the decays into boson pairs, H →γ γ, H → Z Z∗ →4l and H →W W∗ →lνlν. The results are based on the complete pp collision data sample recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider at centre-of-mass energies of √s = 7 TeV and √s = 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 25 fb−1. Evidence for Higgs boson production through vector-boson fusion is reported. Results of combined fits probing Higgs boson couplings to fermions and bosons, as well as anomalous contributions to loop-induced production and decay modes, are presented. All measurements are consistent with expectations for the Standard Model Higgs boson

Measurement of the top quark pair cross section with ATLAS in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV using final states with an electron or a muon and a hadronically decaying τ lepton

A measurement of the cross section of top quark pair production in proton-proton collisions recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV is reported. The data sample used corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 2.05 fb -1. Events with an isolated electron or muon and a τ lepton decaying hadronically are used. In addition, a large missing transverse momentum and two or more energetic jets are required. At least one of the jets must be identified as originating from a b quark. The measured cross section, σtt-=186±13(stat.)±20(syst.)±7(lumi.) pb, is in good agreement with the Standard Model prediction

Hunt for new phenomena using large jet multiplicities and missing transverse momentum with ATLAS in 4.7 fb−1 of √s=7 TeV proton-proton collisions

Results are presented of a search for new particles decaying to large numbers of jets in association with missing transverse momentum, using 4.7 fb−1 of pp collision data at s√=7TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider in 2011. The event selection requires missing transverse momentum, no isolated electrons or muons, and from ≥6 to ≥9 jets. No evidence is found for physics beyond the Standard Model. The results are interpreted in the context of a MSUGRA/CMSSM supersymmetric model, where, for large universal scalar mass m 0, gluino masses smaller than 840 GeV are excluded at the 95% confidence level, extending previously published limits. Within a simplified model containing only a gluino octet and a neutralino, gluino masses smaller than 870 GeV are similarly excluded for neutralino masses below 100 GeV

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to <90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], >300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of <15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P<0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P<0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years